Technology Project

For my project, I focused on creating a professional Myspace that theoretically I would implement when I have my own classroom. I set everything up as if I already did, and used info from the school I am observing at to fill in the gaps. I have had my own space in the past but I never really spent much time learning how to really use it. I honestly learned a lot while playing with the program, and I actually think that it could prove to be a useful tool in the classroom. Many kids spend a ton of time on Myspace so I thought that if I created my own site as a teacher then maybe it could be something where kids could have access to class info, ask questions, etc. all while using a program they are already familiar with and enjoy. One obvious possible problem would be disruptive, distasteful, or harmful content being posted or acessed through the space, since hackers can sometimes do this despite password protection. I have yet to work out a way to get around this problem.

Several features that I explored more in-depth were the calendar, the message composer, the blog, the groups, and the address keeper.

1. The calendar is one of my favorite features. In my own class I see using it as a tool where kids can go on and look to see when inportant dates are coming up, like tests, projects, or field trips. While the perks are numerous, there are a few setbacks. One downside is that you cannot repeat an entry - it will not recognize it for some reason. So if i type in SAT on, say, Nov 1 and then later in December, say the 5th there is another one, I have to put SAT 2 for the calendar to register it. Another one is that there area limited amount of labels available. (e.g. "Test" or "Game" are not options.) Also: you have to assign a time to everything, even things like "Christmas Break."

2. The message composer lets you message directly without having to go straight to that person's page. However, it does not work if the person you want to message has a symbol as part of their name, as my sister does.

3. The blog works pretty much as any blog does. The neat thing that I found was that it had spellcheck and the capacity to post podcasts, which I had not expected. The downside to this is if you have more than one class accessing your site they would technically all be using the same blog.

4. I started a group just to see how it worked and, surprisingly, I liked it very much. It functions much like the blog does except that you can specialize each group to meet the needs of different classes. I think that this, along with the calendar, is one of the top features of using Myspace as an educational tool.

5. The address keeper was potentially a cool feature, but, like the message composer, it too struggles with finding specific names/friends if their names are not distinct or do not have symbols.

I feel that i really came to understand a lot more about this program through this project than I ever would have otherwise. I really want to implement it in my classroom, if possible. I feel that I could add this technology to my "expert" list, however I am sure that there is still a lot I have to learn! :)


* AN IMPORTANT NOTE* Since Myspace is a password-protected, member-only site, I was only able to post the link to the site login page on my blog. If you have a Myspace account and are interested in viewing my project, just contact me and I will gladly direct you to my site. If you do not have a Myspace account, I would be glad to show you my project sometime in or after class.